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Westford officials object to Sun's records request

WESTFORD - The selectmen chairman and town manager released statements Tuesday they take issue with The Sun seeking to file a complaint under the Open Meeting Law regarding the departure of former Fire Chief Richard Rochon.

The Sun is seeking to file an Open Meeting Law violation after learning this year town officials exchanged 1,500 pages of emails on the subject of Rochon's separation agreement last summer. It was not disclosed until The Sun appealed to the state for the agreement earlier this year. Rochon was paid an additional $25,000 in severance in July. Town Manager Jodi Ross said it would take her more than 60 hours to compile public employee and selectmen emails related to Rochon at a cost nearing $8,000. The Sun argues the number of emails indicates serial deliberations may have taken place between selectmen on the subject and is now filing an appeal to the state Attorney General's Office.

The town responded to the newspaper's complaint that no action would be taken because the newspaper "fails to allege any fact whatsoever" in its argument.

At Tuesday night's Board of Selectmen meeting, Chairman Andrea Peraner- Sweet stressed Rochon's departure was a "complex situation" in which selectmen had to balance "competing laws and interests.

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"It was most important for us to get it right than to act quickly," Peraner- Sweet said.

She said that since last July, selectmen did not announce Rochon's separation agreement or the $25,000 payout because the status of the state law on settlements was unclear.

The chief's separation agreement was issued in July.

Peraner-Sweet then said the $25,000 severance did not cost taxpayers, reasoning Rochon's absence, with current Fire Chief Joe Targ filling in, saved the town money. She said Targ's new salary is lower than Rochon's - the Finance Committee's Town Meeting report puts the value at $5,244 less than Rochon's salary of $125,983.

Peraner-Sweet added the board moved quickly to release the separation agreement to The Sun when the Supervisor of Records Shawn Williams ruled a redacted version should be released to the public in February.

The chairman said the board acted in the best interest of the town and she now "believes the public has all the information the board can legally release" on the issue.

Ross stressed she is committed to transparency and pointed to awards the town has won for posting some 74,000 documents on its website.

She argued The Sun has made "baseless accusations" with its Open Meeting Law violation, adding that requests from the newspaper obstruct her ability to serve the community properly.

"Although we have an obligation to produce public records, our primary responsibility is to work for the residents of Westford and The Sun's repeated requests are taking away valuable time from other important issues facing our community."

Ross added she does not believes The Sun's past requests have assisted taxpayers in better understanding their government's operations.

"I believe public employees should be accountable, but public scrutiny of personnel or performance evaluations, in my opinion, does little to serve the public interest," she said.

Sun Editor Jim Campanini responded to Ross' criticisms with a statement Tuesday night: "Town Manager Ross is entitled to her opinion, even if it is to attack the messenger for exposing her administration for spending taxpayers' money to keep secrets from the public. The secretary of state's office has seen through the town's charade twice already in ruling in favor of The Sun's pursuit of the truth and we are confident the attorney general will see fit to do so on this latest appeal for public documents."

The Sun is expected to file a formal Open Meeting Law complaint with Attorney General Martha Coakley's office this week.

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